Launching device for flying-machines.



W. A. BOND.

LAUNGHING DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, m1.

1,033,148. Patented Jul 23, 1912.

- launching flying machines.

p STATES PATENT 5 oFFI wmmm A. norm, or mam, ims sncnnsn'ri's, nsslenon or ONE HALF 'ronimanw I. JOHNSON, or LYNN, nssncnusm'rs,

namicnmo nnv rcn FOB LYING-magmas.

To all coho m it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. Bomna citizen of the United States, residing at,

Lynn, in -the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvement's in Launching Devices for Flying-Machines, of which the following de scription, in connectionwith the accom' .panymg drawings, is a sp'ecificatlon, -l1ke reference'characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to devices for 'It is necessary to impart ,to -a flying machine a high rate ofspeed along the ground before the machine will. take-t0 the air andheretofore the extended space required has rendered it inconvenient or impossible to launch a flying machine from the top of a building the deck restricted surfaces; I r

It is an object of'this invention to provide a device wherebysuflicient speed;- for launching may be imparted to a flying machine'by'movi'ng" it in a fixed path so limited ing machine may take .place within a relatively small area. 1

To this end an important featureof the invention consists in a carriage for a flying:

machine movablea fixed path inco nb'i nation with a. retaining device arranged to p be operated :for releasing the flyilig machine from the carriage when a sufiicint. ratejof, speed has been acquired. (I

As herein shown. the carriage iszmovable over a circular'track about afixed cente'n;

Any suitable means may be =used'for moving the carriage 'over the track. It mag -be;

drawn along by the 'tract'ive force. o .;.the flying machine connected thereto onswun'g' aboiltits axis by-iorce applied at thecenter 01' the track." Z.

Another feature .ofthe "invention consists in the provision of .a Fretaini-n' device for operated by t e aviatortoreleaseithefiying machine with out interfering with his; control of the flying-imachine or requiring to assume an inconvenientposit on. Bretym an narrowed-wher by the retamlng' devi e maybe y a ,speeiflcation of Letter; Patent. Application filed September a, 1911. Serial 1a. @527,

of a vessel, or other Patented Jul 2 1912. j

assistant from near the axis of thecarriage' .so that, if found expedient, the aviator be'relieved of this operation.

Still'anotherfeature of the invention con ,SiStS 1n the provision of a'brake and mechanism for applyingthef brake-to retard the carriage when the flying machine has been released. As herein shown the brake is arranged to opera-tee automatically, when the carriage is relieved of the weight of the flying'lnachine. I 'j To this 'end'another important feature of the invention consists in the'combination of a pivoted platform, upon which part of the fiying'machine may rest, with a brake connected to, and operated by the movement of, the p o d Pl t-form- 7 Vhile the device 'of-my invention is in'- may 55 tended primarily for vusein-launc'hingfl in machines it may also prove useful in afiiir' the aviator an opportunity withoutleav- 111g the groundto become accustomed to the 7-5 sensations he will experience in actual flight.

These and otherfeatures of the invention will be understood and. appreciated. from. the following description ofa pre.-' ferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and-shown in the-ac companyin'g' drawings, in. which i i I Figure '1 isf a viewfinperspective ,ofthe V apparatus showing a' fiying machine in os'itlonu'pon thecarriage Fig. 2 is a view in section of the gr etaining device withits associated pairts and-the brake. Fig. 8 'is a v view" in perspectiyeef theretaining device withitsassociated parts. j 5; in

Asshownfinl'lfiig. lthe carria 1( is mounted for movement in ;a'circ ar path on "the track 112 aboutk-the i'axis of the spin;

dle 14 as a 'cent'er."-'" The spindle 14 {pro} jec'ts upwardly I a'circiilar ba'se plate '16 which y e ol' -o e .flwk b ia' ei 96 a m techie a .desiredto sea merflyi I machine; 'Journaled upon the spindle '14 connecting t m j il fi fmadhilna;v and its carria "e which device inay 'readilyfbe a sleeve 18 havinga-pair ofradiallyextendf I ingarms 24- rojectinglthereirom upon the outer ends 0 which'rests the carr age '19.

' 34 permitting the spring 37- to swin which rests on the arms24 and a pivotally mounted platform 30 arranged to support near its front edge the forward wheels of the flyin machine. -An adjustable stop 32 is provi ed at the rear end or" the carnage for engaging the rear wheel of the flying machine and preventing rearward movement thereof relatively to the carriage, the stop 32 being adjustable to accommodate flying machinesof different lengths. A retaining catch 34 projects upwardly through a slot in the pivoted platform and is arranged to hook into a ring 35 connected with part of the flying machine and so prevent the latter from being dislodged by'c'entrifugal force when the carriage is put in motion.

' Any suitable means may be provided whereby the aviator may cause the catch 34 to disengage and release theflying'machine when he is ready to make an ascent. One form of releasing mechanism is shown herein and comprises a bell crank lever 36 pivotally mounted in a bracket below the platform- 3O 1 and having its upper end formed as a treadlegand disposed within reach of the aviator. in the flying machine.

The catch 34 is pivoted to turn about the same axis as the releasing lever 36 and is held in engaging position against the action offla spring 37 by a stop pin 38 which projects laterally from a lever pivotally suported in the lower bifurcated end of a racket 42 bolted to the under side of the carriage 10. The forward end of the lever 40 is connected through the double link 44 with the lower arm of the releasing lever 36, the arrangement being such that when the releasing lever is pushed forwardly and downwardly by the aviator the lever 40 is swung downwardly and the stop .pin 38 carried below the lower-end of the catch the latter downwardly and release the ying machine. I have shown the releasing lever as: arranged to be operated :by--' the aviator in the flying machine and .I believe that in practice, the aviator will refer to operate the releasing mechanism himself but in case he shouldprefer to have this attended to by an assistant means are also provided whereby the releasing mechanism may. be operated from near the axis about which the carriage travels. For this purposes rope or'chain is conneote'dtothe rear end of the lever 40 andcarried over a pulley 41 on the carriage to a hand lever 43 mounted near the inner end ofonef ofthearms 24. By throwing the upper end of the lever 43 outwardly the lever 44) is swung downwardly at its front ,end as 1t 1s by the action of the treadle lever 36and-the retaini as already explaine The carria catch is thus released e is supported an elonga'ted wheel or r0 er journaled in hangers 52, one oiwhlch s shown in Fig. 3;- The wid of the wheel '50 permits the radial adjustment of the carriage, before mentioned, without the wheel being carried ()fl the track 12. Abrake 54 is arranged to cotiperate with a wheel 50 for the purpose of retarding the launching the flying machine. As herein shown, the brake 54' is mounted upon the lower end of a bar 55 secured to a bracket the wheel 50. It will be seen therefore that so long as the'fiying machine occupies its position on the carriage the latter is free to move over its track but when the flying machine leaves the carriage the brake acts instantly to retard the movement of the carriage.

Motive power to propel the carriage may be furnished either by the action of 'thepropeller of the flying machine or from an independent source. Where the flying machine itself is depended upon the carriage is drawn along by its connection with the ring 35 of the flying machine. The carriage may also be moved by pushing or pulling on the hand spikes 22 which project from the inner ends of the arms 24, or by turning the crank 23 of a shaft journaled in standards on one of the arms which causes the bevel gear 25 to rotate about the fixed bevel gear 20 on the upper end of the spindle 14. In the latter case the assistants who operate the cranks'may ride upon the arms or upon a small platform attached to the lower arm and disposed upon the opposite side of the spindle 14 from-the arm. 1

In operation the flying machine is properly placed upon the carrlageand the retain- 'speed has been attained the retaining catch is disengaged and simultaneously the aviator will set his planes so that the flying machine shall rise into the air. As soon as the platform 30 is relieved of the weight of the machine it is tilted by the spring 56 and the brake applied retardin the carriage and expeditingdeparture of t from it.

It will be noted that the forward arm 24 issomewhat higher than the rear arm and conse uently the surface of the carriage is slight y inclined downwardly toward the rearxB' changing the relative position of the two arms any desired angle may be-im parted, to the carriage.

he flying machine I -movement of the carriage at the moment of Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A carriage for a flying machine movable in a horizontal path about an. external axis and means for retaining a flying machine in position upon said carriage arranged to be operated to release the flying machine by the aviator.

2. A carriage for a flying machine, a fixed track over which said carriage is movable, a device for retaining aflying machine in fixed position on said carriage, and means extending into the proximity of the aviator arranged to be operated for disengaging said retaining device.

3. A carriage for launching a flying machine, said carriage having a wheel and a brake movableto engage the wheel to stop the movement of said carriage, and a spring actuated brake controlling member arranged to cause the operation of the brake automatically when the flying machine leaves said carriage.

4. A carriage for a flying machine, and a brake for stopping the movement of said carriage, said brake being held in an inoperative position by the weight of the flying machine while the latter is upon said carriage.

5. A movable carriage for a flying machine includin a pivoted. latform and a brake controlle by the position of said platform. 1

6. A carriage for launching a flying machine movable in a circular path about a fixed axis and supported from beneath in all positions, and means connecting said carriage with said fixed axis whereby said carriage may be made to revolve, said connecting means being adjustable to permit the radius of the path of said carnage to be varied.

7. A revolving carriage for a flying machine having a retaining device for holding a flying machine in position upon it, a stop to prevent disengagement of said retaining device, and means arranged to be operated by the aviator for permitting the movement of said stop to an inoperative position.

8 A carriage for launching a' flying machine Having a retaining device mounted thereon with a portion sha ed to engage the flying machine and hold t e latter in fixed position on the carriage. and against outward movement, a lever disposed within reach of the aviator, and toggle mechanism connected with said lever and movable thereby to eflect the release of said retaining device.

9. A carriage for launching a flying machine, bodily movable in a circular path about an axis, connecting members disposed between the carriage and its axis, means for supporting the carriage from beneath independently of the connecting means, means for temporarily securing a flying machine to the carriage in order that the machine may furnish motive power thereto, and means for rotating the carriage from another source of power.

10. Arms pivoted to swing about a fixed axis, a carriage having retaining means for a flying machine carried by the arms and supported from beneath in all positions in dependently of the arms, a radially disposed roller for said carriage, and means for causing said roller to travel along the track.

11. A device for launching a flying machine having, in combination, a carriage, a device on the carriage for temporarily connecting a flying machine thereto, and means connected to said device and arranged to be operated at a distance from the flying machine to release the flying machine.

12. A device for launching a flying machine having, in combination, a carriage, a catch for temporarily connecting a flying machine thereto, means on said carriage for releasing the catch, and independent means arranged to be operated at a distance from the carriage to effect the same result.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. BOND.

Witnesses: V

H. W. KENWAY,

M. W. COUPE. 

